In permanent magnet electric motors, the motor housing is typically of pure ferromagnetic material (e.g., steel). Recently, to reduce weight and the amount of ferromagnetic material, permanent magnets are attached to flux material (e.g., metal) and this assembly is over-molded with resin to form the housing. A conventional motor housing 10 of this type is shown in FIG. 1. The goal is to resin formed housing is to have the flux material only at the magnet location. An example of this type of motor with a resin formed housing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,584,114. There is an opportunity to further reduce the metal content of these types of motors.
There is a need to provide an improved permanent magnet electric motor housing having a reduce metal content and capable of being configured for different size and shape motors.